


tale as old as time

by MavenMorozova



Series: Rise of the Fallen [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Ahch-To, Alderaanian lore, Alternate Universe - Beauty and the Beast Fusion, Beauty and the Beast Elements, F/M, Fluff, Force Bond (Star Wars), Force Dyad (Star Wars), Jedi Leia Organa, One Shot, Padawan Rey, Post-Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Pre-Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:55:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23863372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MavenMorozova/pseuds/MavenMorozova
Summary: Leia sends Rey on a mission to commune with the Force Ghosts, but she gets sidetracked by a certain dark prince...Consider this a prequel to my TROS fix-it fic, Star Wars Episode IX: Rise of the Fallen!
Relationships: Kylo Ren & Rey, Kylo Ren/Rey, Leia Organa & Rey, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Series: Rise of the Fallen [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1719691
Comments: 6
Kudos: 26





	tale as old as time

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bensolosbutterflies](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=bensolosbutterflies).



> ayo this maven whaddup my dudes! I wrote this for the birthday of a Tumblr friend, but if you like it, consider reading the story with my tros fic! Happy reading!
> 
> you can listen to the podfic version [here.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24898156)

_ "Once, there was a beautiful woman who had traveled to a dark planet where there was a famed beast--a beast who’d once been a prince. She had taken the place of her oppressed people, making a deal with the beast to leave them alone if she became his wife. But the plan grew to torment the beast, who was slowly falling in love with the woman, and one day, as a show of good faith, he let her go. And when the girl returned to her home planet, she learned that the beast was dying. Her people rejoiced, but the woman, who’d found that she, too, had fallen in love, despite all the beast’s flaws, returned to him. When they kissed, she found that the beast had reverted to his true form--a handsome prince once again. The beast was dead and the man had returned. They became the first king and queen of Alderaan, living for the rest of their days in happiness and rejoicing in their love.” _

_ \--An ancient Alderaanian legend _

In the smoldering remains of the Resistance, the wounded were cared for by the few left able to function. The battle of Crait had virtually destroyed them, but they still lived, a spark of hope among the chaos.

Rey, in fact, was facing her own turmoil, having left Ben--no,  _ Kylo _ , as he had chosen his side--in the throne room.  _ His  _ throne room. She still wasn’t sure she’d made the right decision. Kylo’s eyes, as she’d left him, terrified, in pain, and the same look when they’d connected through the Force, haunted her. His lower lip had jutted out as he kneeled in the spot where she’d left him, eyes pleading. But of course, it could have all been a ploy.

“Master Leia,” she said in respect as Leia approached her.

“Rey, my young padawan,” the general replied with an amused smile. Rey supposed that she was unused to having that title. “Are you ready for your first mission? It’s not as exciting as the...unofficial... ones you’ve been on recently, I must admit.” She chuckled.

“I’m ready, Master,” Rey replied seriously. “What is it?”

“I would like to send you back to Ahch-To,” Leia told her. “That place is strong with the Force, and the Dark Side, as you know.” She eyed Rey carefully, and Rey wondered where she’d gotten that information. Perhaps her brother had mentioned her  _ incident  _ on the ancient island, where she’d traveled too fast into a place not easily escaped.

“And what should I do there?” Rey asked apprehensively.

“Commune,” Leia responded simply. “I know that the Jedi of old haven’t contacted you. To be fair, young Rey, they haven’t contacted me, either. Aside from Luke, of course.”

“I don’t understand why they’ve abandoned us,” Rey lamented, her lips pursing in annoyance. How many times had she asked the Force Ghosts to _ be with her  _ and had her request ignored?

“Maybe you’ll figure that out,” Leia suggested, shrugging. “You have lots of time. The Resistance is in no shape to fight. We’ll have to lay low for a while. Meanwhile, you can speak to the Jedi...perhaps they need a voice of youth.” She smiled ruefully as she handed a pocket-size navigator to Rey. “This will lead you straight there.”

“Yes, Master,” Rey said, slightly disappointed.

“Besides,” Leia added, winking, “my brother has a message for you.”

***

She arrived on Ahch-To soon after, her head aching from sleep deprivation--the pod ship she’d traveled in wasn’t advanced enough to fly itself to the island planet. Rey was buoyed by the promise of a message from Master Skywalker as she landed and stepped out from the pod. She found the small hut where she’d slept in those days when she followed Luke around, still untouched by the natives of the island, who perhaps avoided it due to her outburst once.

She bent over to enter through the wooden door, shutting it as she stepped inside. The hut was cold and stiff from disuse. Shivering, Rey lit the fire in the grate, sitting on the tiny cot and wrapping herself in the warm blankets she’d left there. But before she could call on the Force Ghosts, something else reached out--something very much alive.

“Kylo,” Rey whispered, sensing his presence. “What are you doing here?”

She couldn’t see him well in the flickering light of the fire, but she knew he was there. Finally, he emerged from the shadows, his eyes emotionless and his face sharpened by the darkness. “Rey,” he murmured back, voice barely making a sound. “I won’t ask where you are.”  _ Had that been his attempt at humor? _

“I’m not with the Resistance, anyway,” Rey mumbled, her heart beating faster as she stared up at him. He crossed the room silently, settling at her side on the cot and causing it to dent slightly where he was sitting, making her slide closer. Their proximity gave her chills--good ones--this was the man who wanted her to rule by his side, the man who had defended her against Snoke and the Praetorian guard, only to allow her to slink away.

She remembered an old text she read, not quite fiction and not quite fact--a legend that she couldn’t remember the name of. A legend from a dead planet--Master  _ Leia’s  _ planet! For some odd reason, Kylo reminded her of the beast from this legend, and the thought made her want to laugh a little; Ben Solo was Alderaanian, too.

“Why are you here?” Rey asked him finally, their shoulders and thighs touching, but only just. “I wanted to see you…” he said quietly. “I wanted to see how you are faring...alone.”

Rey flared her nostrils. “I’m having a stellar time,” she quipped. “What with my friends in hiding from  _ your  _ First Order. It’s simply wonderful, you see.”

Kylo frowned, his eyes flashing in the semi-darkness. “You would be happier if you had joined me. You could have reinstated changes to the galaxy as its Supreme Leader.”

“And would you have let me?” Rey replied softly, the words really not a question at all. She laughed softly--though not really amused--when he didn’t respond, turning to look at him. His eyes, once again, caught her off-guard: long eyelashes blinking slowly and catching the light of the fire. His nose twitched nervously and his lips trembled, causing Rey’s lips to turn up in a small, amused smile. He was  _ adorable _ , she had to admit.

“I have something for you,” she whispered. Standing, Rey crossed the room to where she’d left her pack at the door. When she stood, she was holding an ancient book, the pages nearly falling apart. She placed it in Kylo’s hands. He flipped it open carefully, the yellowing pages leaving dust on his fingerpads. “A...book?” He looked up at her. “I thought they didn’t exist anymore.”

“Your mother gave this to me,” Rey said. “It’s Alderaanian. A book of children’s stories.”

“My mother,” he whispered, echoing her. “Is she alright?”

Rey pursed her lips.  _ Your mother is heartbroken. Your mother rejects the idea that she has a son _ . But one look at Kylo’s worried face and she decided to abstain from revealing that to him. No, this couldn’t be Kylo’s face, she thought after a moment.  _ Kylo’s  _ face was always stoic, emotionless, a blank facade. But  _ Ben’s _ … he couldn’t hide a single thing from her.

And maybe, just maybe, Rey was wrong about Leia, too. After all, why would she have given Rey this book? Perhaps, in some hidden part of the Jedi master’s mind, she had intended for the book to make its way to her son.

“Tell her I said--” Ben began. “Tell her--”

“I will,” Rey murmured, placing her hand on his. Their fingers intertwined for a moment before Ben faded away, taking the book with him. Rey’s fingers slid through the thin air inside of the hut. She sighed before slumping back against the stone wall. She had work to do.

**Author's Note:**

> as always, if you enjoyed, please leave kudos, and I always appreciate praise and/or constructive criticism! stay safe!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[podfic] tale as old as time](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24898156) by [MavenMorozova](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MavenMorozova/pseuds/MavenMorozova)




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